Conveyer for bottle washers



Oct. 23, 1934. F. L. DARLING CON VEYER FOR B OTTLE WASHERS 2 Sheets-Sheet l FiledDeo. 11, 1931 lhiuentor Oct. 23, 1934. v L D ING 1,977,670

CONVEYER FOR BOTTLE WASHERS Filed Dec. 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

31wentor Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES comm ma norm wssnnas Frank L. Darling, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Anchor Cap & Closure Corporation, Long Island City, N. Y., a oorporationof New York A Application December 11, 1931, Serial No. 580,441

ZClaims.

The present invention relates to method and means for cleansing filled and sealed containers, of the. type provided with'a top opening sealed by a closure cap having a depending skirt whose lower inner marginal portion is spaced at least in part from an embraced container portion, so that foreign matter may be effectively removed fromthe space existing between the marginal portion of the closure skirt and embraced container portion. I

According to, the invention, the sealed container is passed along a prescribed path and-fine streams of water are directed upwardly between the skirt of the closure and the embraced portion 1 of the container. Through suitable means. of which a novel exempliflcatlon will be described,

relative rotation is effected between the container and the streams of water so that the latter are impinged against the full circumferential extent of the former. As a result of the cleansing action,

foreign matter or accumulations due to careless filling, are washed out from underthe cap and are removed by the falling film of water which envelopes the container; Consequently, sticking of the cap due to hardened accumulations and rust caused by the action of acids, brine or vinegar are prevented and a clean appearance is presented when the closure is removed.

In the accompanying drawings:

j 30.. Figure 1 is a side elevation. partly in section, of

apparatus for carrying out the present invention. Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Figure3isasectionontheline3-4ofFigure 2, and

' Figure 4 is a fragmentary section of'a container and spraying means.

Referring to the drawings, reference numerals 5 and 6 designate vertically adjustable pedestals which at their upper ends support a substantially horizontal I-beam 'I, the latterbeing disposed with its flanges in substantially vertical planes and with the connecting web 8 in a horizontal.

1 a substantially continuous fiat supporting means forthe containerstobewashed. Yokes13 and 14 secured to the beam 7 support a guide plate 15 for the lower run of chain 11.

On a shelf 16 supported by means of a stirrup 17 on pedestal 6 and a strap 18 depending from the beam 7 is mounted a motor 19 which through 9 a speed reduction unit 20 supported on the shelf drives a sprocket 21 which engages a chain 22 to drive a sprocket 23 fixed on a shaft 10 to which the sprocket 10 is fixed. The motor serves to drive chain 11 so that the top run travels from left to right, Figures 1 and 2, at proper speed.

Referring to Figure 3, a strip 24 with its top surface somewhat higher than the plate 12 is fixed in longitudinally extending relation to the upper run of the chain and adjacent the right 9 hand edges of the plates 12, W3. The top of strip 24 is preferably knurled, assuming the strip to be of metal, and constitutes a ledge on which one side of a sealed container 25, to be washed, is supported. The purpose of strip 24 is to exert a drag on one side of the container so that the container resting at a diametrically opposite point on the plates 12 will be rotated-by the latter. If desired, strip 24 may be of rubber or other similar friction material.

, Posts 26 and 27 are secured to the flanges of rail '1. Posts 27 support a guide strip 28 directly above strip 24, strip 28' through screw and slot connections supporting uprights 29 which 'at their upper ends carry a horizontally extending pipe 30 provided with inwardly and upwardly directed perforations 30'. Posts 26 are provided with transverse bores in which are supported pins 31 adjustably retained by means of cap screws 32 threaded in counter bores of' the posts. Pins 31 support a guide strip 33 upon which are mounted for vertical adjustment through screwand slot conections, uprights 34 which support a pipe 35 provided with inwardly and upwardly directed perforations 35'. 95

Container 25 is here shown as a jar provided with a cap 36 having a crimped depending skirt 3'! embracing a top bead 25 of the jar and as is clearly shown in Figure 4, spaces as at 38 exist between the lower edge of the skirt and the underlying portion of the jar, these spaces being apt to become packed with foreign matter during sealing or subsequent handling. In the operation of the machine above described, guide strip 33 is adjusted in accordance with the diameter of the container and up- I rights 29 and 34 are adjusted in accordance with the height and form of the'container so that streams will be directed through openings 30' and 35' between the skirt 37 and bead 25', water he- I '2 ing admitted to pipes and through a con:- nection 39; The containers are placed in a tray and fed between strips 28 and- 33, whereupon they are carried throughout. the extent of the latter and continuously rotated through the provisions above described, the streams of water continuously impinging the containers under the caps to clean out the spaces 38 and the water rlmning down the sides of the containers to carry of a jar, it will be understood that the present invention is concerned with containers of all types utilizing a skirted closure cap. It will be evident that if the containers to be cleansed are bottles, uprights 29 and 34 must be shaped accordingly,

so that pipes 30 and 35 will be supported in proper position to direct streams of water underneath the closure caps. I have, of course, used the word water as a general term intended to cover any suitable cleansing fluid, or vapor, such as steam.

While I have described a particular form of apparatus for carrying out my invention, it will be understood that I donot limit myself under the present invention except as determined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, a horizontally extending conveyer having atop substantially flat supporting surface. a fixed ledge extending alongside said supporting surface and having a top horizontal portion above said supporting surface, and means for guiding a circular upright container for transport longitudinally of the conveyer with its bottom partially on said supporting surface and partially on the top horizontal portion of said ledge whereby the container is rotated during its travel.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a horizontally extending conveyer having a top substantially flat supporting surface, a fixed ledge extendingalongside said supporting surface and having a top horizontal portion above said supporting surface, and a guide strip opposite the ledge for guiding a circular upright container for transport longitudinally of the conveyer with 1 its bottom partially on said supporting surface and partially on the top horizontal portion of said ledge whereby the container is rotated during its travel.

FRANK L. DARLING. I05 

